10 tips for pain free exercise

Sep. 25, 2013 4:17 PM

Written by

Carrie Haines, Director of Group Exercise and Fitness Educator, Saint Mary's Center for Health and Fitness

Exercise does not have to hurt to be considered effective. In fact, the opposite is true. Can exercise be pain free? Can exercise help relieve pain? Yes and yes!

I remember when I started teaching group exercise classes and the theme was something like this:

“No pain, no gain.” “Feel the burn”. “Work through the pain”.

At age 18 in my shiny spandex tights, big hair, with coffee in my water bottle, did I ever imagine I would be writing about, lecturing on, and training instructors on the topic of pain free exercise.

Do you know the difference between what is “uncomfortable” and what is “painful”? Some soreness or discomfort during exercise is normal, however when exercise or movement becomes painful, we risk injury if we continue to move or exercise in the same way. Ignoring the pain can lead to serious injury and even chronic illness.

The truth is that most of don’t make this distinction when it comes to working out. We often tolerate the pain like how we tolerate sitting in traffic. The traffic is still there, but we are just used to having to wait. Many of us experience pain with exercise, daily activities, and even simple movement on a regular basis and have learned to live with it.

Exercise, whether it be cardiovascular training or strength training, can create muscle fatigue. This fatigue might feel uncomfortable, but should never be painful. Sharp or dull pain is still pain and it’s the body’s way of communicating to you that something is not working.

Here are some tips to staying pain free and making more out of your workouts:

1. Lengthen and strengthen vs. shortening and tightening

Lengthen muscles against gravity for better toning results and less pain! Shortening and tightening muscles just make us, well, shorter. The power is in the lengthening phase or eccentric phase of movement.

2. Have a posture assessment

Find out what kind of posture YOU have and perform exercises that are appropriate for you so that you are not making a problem worse. Exercise and stretching can actually help improve posture imbalances and reduce pain.

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3. Stop with the crunches already

Avoid exercises that put added stress and strain on the body. Exercises like floor crunches or Roman Chair leg lifts put undue stress on the cervical spine and hip flexors, which may lead to knee and back pain and even injury. Having a personal trainer can help you to design a better workout for you with safer and far more effective exercises.

4. Move in all planes of motion!

Our bodies were designed to move in all directions. Front, back, sideways, transversely, up, down, and all around. We tend to move in one plane (forward/backward). Movement in all planes can improve flexibility which can help prevent injury and pain. Yoga, Bender Barre Method®, and Tai Chi are excellent classes that make the body move in all directions.

5. Listen to your body and respect the body you're in today

Every day is different and for many of us, we think just because we performed an exercise yesterday means that we can do the same thing today. This is not always so. If your body responds with a pain signal, listen to it, reduce or modify the movement to make it work for you.

6. Compete with yourself, not others when it comes to your weekly workouts

Even if you are training for your first marathon or your 100th triathlon, when it comes to your personal workout, make it personal. Compete with yourself and not others around you. Do what feels right for your body at any particular time and you will be more successful come competition time. An inured athlete stays on the bench!

7. Stretch and release

Never underestimate the power of stretching and myo-fascial release in helping to not only manage pain, but prevent it. Using tools like therapy ball and foam roller can help improve the way the body moves and feels by releasing fascial tissue. Massage therapy is also a great compliment to any exercise program.

Stretch Fusion class is an excellent combination of both dynamic stretching to improve functional movement and myo-fascial release to reduce pain.

8. Use your voice

Ask questions of your trainers and instructors. If your fitness instructor asks you to balance on one leg while juggling 2 lb. weights, ask why! What is the purpose of this exercise? Where should I be feeling it? How is this exercise going to help me move better? How is this exercise going to help me reach my goal?

9. Prepare yourself for exercise and then transition yourself properly.

The warm-up is your preparation for what you are about to do. Skipping the warm-up can lead to pain and injury. Transition time or cool-down is equally important. This time should be spent preparing yourself for the rest of your day outside the gym.

10. Finally, make sure you have clearly defined your personal goals.

Knowing what you want and need to accomplish can lead you to greater exercise success. Never expect results to happen overnight. Being patient, exercising correctly, and safely can not only lead to pain free living, but greater long term results. Join us for Healthy Habits = Real Results, our 10-week life changing program.